UNITED NATIONS, New York | Dozens of delegations walked out of the United Nations General Assembly hall as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu began his address on Thursday, Sept. 24, highlighting the deepening international divisions over Israel’s war in Gaza and its wider military actions in the region.
The walkout came moments after Netanyahu took the podium at the 81st session of the General Assembly. Reuters reported that he responded by calling the departing delegates “moral cowards” and challenged those remaining to leave as well. Members of the Israeli delegation and supporters in the gallery applauded and chanted in support of the prime minister.
Netanyahu used the roughly 40-minute address to defend Israel’s military actions, including its campaign against Iran, and to reject accusations that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza. He also criticized several governments that have increased pressure on Israel, including Britain and France, as well as New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Reuters reported that Netanyahu praised U.S. President Donald Trump for what he described as strong support for Israel.
The speech came as Netanyahu faces an Oct. 27 parliamentary election in Israel. Reuters reported that his government had mounted a publicity campaign in New York ahead of the address, while Netanyahu used the UN appearance to emphasize what he described as Israel’s fight on multiple fronts, including its war with Iran.
The walkout was accompanied by demonstrations outside the UN headquarters. The Associated Press reported that more than 100 people were arrested during protests in New York, where demonstrators called for an end to Israel’s military campaign and greater Palestinian rights.
The diplomatic confrontation reflects a wider deterioration in Israel’s international relations since the Hamas-led attacks of Oct. 7, 2023, which triggered the Gaza war. Reuters reported that Israel has faced increasing diplomatic isolation, including sanctions announced earlier in September by Britain, France and Canada targeting Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.
The UN General Assembly has long served as a major forum for disputes over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israel became a UN member in 1949, a year after its establishment, while the Palestinian question has remained on the organization’s agenda for decades. In September 2025, Britain, France and Canada were among countries that formally recognized a Palestinian state, further underscoring the changing diplomatic landscape surrounding the conflict.
Netanyahu’s address therefore became as much a display of the sharp divisions surrounding Israel as a statement of its government’s position, with the emptying of the chamber providing a visible demonstration of the dispute confronting the international community.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
